Bayelsa government, Sylva exchange hot words over House of Assembly poll

Bayelsa State Government and the Minister of State, Petroleum, Timipre Sylva, have exchange hot words over the conduct of Saturday’s state House of Assembly election.

The state government, through the Commissioner for Information, Orientation and Strategy, Ayibaina Duba, berated the former governor for allegedly trying to cover up his attempts to manipulate the results of the elections in his constituency.

But the minister, through his media aide, Julius Bukoro, described the state government and Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) as impulsive liars, saying allegations against Sylva, was grossly untrue and puerile.

An independent election monitoring group, had in a statement, accused Sylva of “excessive show of desperation to win Brass Constituency 2 House of Assembly election by attempting to compromise electoral officials in the area.”

The group also alleged that the former Bayelsa governor “engaged in a show of force in his bid to manipulate the results from polling units in Okpoama and Ewoama communities, using the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) ad hoc staff.”

Sylva is a native of Okpoama in the Brass Council of the state.

The state government said instead of Sylva to address the issues raised by the group, he disrespectfully chose to attack Governor Douye Diri “in a loathsome and infantile statement that was full of bile.”

It stated: “Interestingly, the group’s allegations were confirmed in a trending video showing the minister storming the collation centre at Okpoama with thugs.

“What is expected of the All Progressives Congress (APC) stalwart is contrition and not a disdainful arrogance.”

The government noted that like a leopard that never changes its spots, the minister actually returned to “his familiar and infamous terrain of election manipulation and rigging once the results do not favour him and his party.”

But Sylva described the statement as grossly untrue and puerile.

He said the electioneering process at Brass Constituency II was stable, safe, free and fair, adding that the people went about freely voting for candidates of their choice, according to their conscience and their hearts.

His statement reads: “What the Douye Diri government does apart from making life hellish for Bayelsans is that it projects its own anxieties, insecurities and natural unpreparedness to others.

“If there are evidences supporting their claims, it should be presented to the public and relevant authorities. That is what entities serious about their claims should be doing, not descending into a free fall of lies.

“That statement from a non-existing group, by a non-existing Charles Otabor, is untrue and demonic and utterly unworthy of public attention and should be considered another gimmick from a faltering illegitimate government.”